Cigar machine belt feed control



A' 15bk 1938,., E H.`H. WHEELER *22,124,219

f y f v'OIOAE MACHINE BELT FEED CONTROL originai lFiled Jan. `9', m34" f2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY y1 which a layer of fiilerj tobaccc isfautomtically I Q16* to' thefcharge trmingdeyice, so that theV suoi' essivef I a contain a `predetermined' volume oftobacco `t` predeterrnineddensity.'`

` Anfher object s tap-ronde entrer meansfin l y fsir'ch eener feeawhich aresimpie in 'construction yetpsitiveand Areliak'ilevinnaction and alsoquick i tainingfthe l desired" volume and density ,tchacedY inthe charge lforrningfnieang With these anja other objects-notspecificauymenuoned structionsand combinations hereinafter fullyde l scribed andtheh speciiicallyi'setforth inf the f, claimshereunto'appended.

l 3Q ll thev accompanying "drayt'in'gs lwhich form a i In-carrying the invention-tinto;'eifectfthere`is ',Ifberafrafshaft on whichfsaid member is loosely` ",mounted, a friction roller-clutch Vconnecting"'=,aid drivijngmember and shaft;v and normally operaisha-ft, aniler feeding rieitdrivenby said shaft,

i, a l ltosail'-"r'neieuis by'saidbelt,@mechanismconnect#- l5l)` ingtosaid yielding memberfto incapacitate said `ch'itchwhen the 'charge in said means `attains a` `predetermined density, and' afdevice forfjrehbilii `ltatingsaid clutch.. In thebest constructionscon-.K

ntemplated` the ,clutch in'cludes` adriven member i sent `inventorrrelates tov 'llerfe'eds such asidisclosed in Patent No,1,791,558;granted` M `j produce Vimproy'gadmeans 'focontrolling the feed` acting; iso that 'thefeed`stops limmediately on at;y ofithey f View, I the invention consists'in -certain con'- *Figi "1A is a 'sideeievauon ef thz-imprqved: nner Fi. 2iis an"enlargedtopyiewpnartlyin section; of the feedleontrol"clutch,` takenion line 2--2.y

provided sa continuously rotating: ldriving Vrne'mlv meansffor receivingkafcharge 'of llerftobacco V Lfrom 'saidl belt",` fas-yieldingJeinberw disposed* in Y saidmeans to be'v pushed by the tbacc'o delivered n i they provide taperingspacfes in'which therollers" y T50 I y nxed'on saidshaftandprovided'yvith.notches in its neriphery, al-; collar on the- `driving member` 1y mounted on f said shaft, rollers disposed in sai notches and carried by 'said ratchet, "and aftension spring'connected to the driven member l ratchet= and? normally,holdingthe-latterv in .posi-F" surrounding the dri Ven member, a ratchet looser collar and "notches; 'the' clutch -incanacitatigq mechanismpr'ef'erably includes, Ia `pawl` adapted n to eng'agefthe'ratchet and Aai"counter'lWeighted `tr'p"-connected to the yielding member and hold# ingV thenawlwoutof engagement-,with 'the .ratchet until the,` pressure of thetobacco onfthe yielding'.`

member is suicientto'overcomethe resistanefof i 15* *ther-latter willengage the ratchet lfand thus 1` stop` the trip anddisengage'it freniy the v-pa'wl, whereby the rotation `of the driven 'member and shaft;J

and Vthe A clutch rehabilitatingv device includes i" a i cam-piece. onsaid collar `adapted to disengagethe pawl from the ratchet.4 vThe particular 'structure selectedrto' illustrate the inventionisf but one ofy manypossible` concrete `rembodiments of the same, i

and the invention'. therefore s' isfnoty to"v enreescribed: Furthermore, certain parts of thelinvenpartsfand` -such useis contemplated. Y.

drum` I3 is carriedby a Shaft IZ provided` with a y from the'l main drive ofthe cigamachine by a j hand WheelV (not shown); and this shaitfisdriven l on `,the shaft 4l2 and carries a flange .I1 which is` K Y attached to or integralwith.a-collarl8.1The

sprocketl lvvrotate's continuously-'on shaft: I2and constitutes `,the driving member .oi' thevllerfeed.

A`v ratchetvwh'eel 4Ill loose on shaft 'I2 carriesa set of studs -Ztlatta'ched to which kare-rollersv 2l;`

.memberjlkeyedto shaft I2. i

engaging 1in; triangular notches 2.2 oiwa driven f i k rThememberlntswithin the surroundingfcol- 45 i Y the interior. of collar I8 while it yrotatesinthe` directiontindicated byfthe arrow in Fi'g.,`11.i rFor thispurposethezncotches 2l! are so disposed that 2li t loosely. v,between the member 23i andwccll'arv AIIiiivlien near..A the apex` ofthe notches Aandfjar'n l* against the collar whenlicarried towardsthe" other end offthe Inotcheslciy the movement ofamember* l 23,;,the ratchet I9 normally `beiriggheld .inmosition to .jam1the rollers" ZIfagainst fthe colla `bracket 39 .for supporting the pulley 35.

bottom of recess 21 permitting relative move- '.nent of the post 26 with respect to the post25 while the rotation of the ratchety I9 is stopped.

A spring tensioned pawl 29 pivotally mountedcon l al stud 30 carried by the frame I0, when engaging the ratchet, stops the rotation of member 23 and shaft I2, the sprocket IGand collar I8 mean-` while revolving idly around shaft I2. A cam piece 3| attached to the collar I8 periodically engages a roller 32 carried by the pawl and swings Ithe same awayfrom the -ratchet. When the pawl 29 isv disengaged from the ratchet I9, the/motion of sprocket I6 is again transmitted to thedmember 23 when the rollers `2I gradually jamagainst the v interior of collar I8, thus turning drum I3.

The feedbelt 33, on which the llergtobacco is spread and. which is drivenby drum. I3, is guided bystationary pulleys 34 and;35, Vandadjustable pulley-36, and its` working portion is.

supported by a plate 31 extending between the pulleys-34 and 35. One end ofy plate 31 rests on .a tie rod bracket 38 and jcarries; abearing The pulley 34`may be similarly supported fromthe other end of plate r31, andthe pulley 36 maybe adjustably supported asshown in the Hanson patent referred to above. i

The filler tobacco-spread on the upper run, of feed belt 33 is carried under leveling star Wheels A4I.l, the ller tobacco ,upon emerging from thel leveling wheels continuing its i advance' under guides 4Il to the small feed wheels 42. The feed wheels 42 whichmove the filler layer after it as shown in the above mentioned patent where# by they may beraised orlowered to control the thickness of thel bunch charge. Thesupporting and driving means of the star wheels andthe feed wheels are disclosed in the patent heretoforementioned,v to which reference may be had for a full.` disclosure of` the same. i Platform 43 and guides 44 together formmeans for receiving the charge in space 46 between them, theprongs onfthe: upper end of yielding member 45 projecting into `said space `through slots in platform 43. i After theproper Volume of tobacco to form a charge has been fed into this space, it is cut 01T from the 'mass of Atobacco by a knife 41, which is periodically actuated `by conventional means, which slides vbetween a shear plate 48v attached to bracket 38and shear blade 49fastened to platform bracket 50. After .each cut, transfer ngers 50a, the operating means of which forms no part of the' present invention,

forward the'severed bunch charge toca filler Y' transfer, not shown, which carries'it to itsV next operating position in the cigar'machine.v

In forming the charge, the iiiler tobacco, under the feeding action of the .feedbelt and the star` wheels, advances against theV fingers or prongs of the yielding charge arresting plate 45 until the density of the accumulated mass transmits sufficient pressure to balance the weighted arm 5I mounted on one end of the fulcrum shaft 52. The other end of thisfulcrum shaft carries an arm 53 which is connected by a rod 54 with a pivoted arm 55 which carries the plate 45. The weights 56 on rod 51 ilxed to the weighted arm 5I load the yielding member 45 against the movement by theV tobacco in the spacef46" until said tobacco hasl reached a predetermined density. Accordingly, adjustment of these weights will result in regulating the density of the tobacco inthe ller charge.

, The volume of tobacco in the charge ls determined by the extent of the movement or forwardtravel of the yielding member V45, after the tobacco pushingagainst said member has reached thedesired density. The extent of this movement may be regulated, as will'be presently described. `The arm `5I rests: on adjusting screw 5Ia while .the charge forming space 4Bis empty or inthefprocess 0f being lled, as long as there is insuicient p `45`tolift the arm 5.I.i Y 4 l .When the accumulated tobacco inthe charge receiving space hassufiicient density tor transmit the, motion of the advancing .filler tothe member 451, the trip 58lv on the Weighted arm `5I swings away fromthe protruding end V59` of the springtensioned pawl 29,A thus allowing Ythe lat'tervto engage with the ratchet I9. At the moment thefpawl engages the ratchet, the rollers2I and post 25 in ratchet IS are stopped while theporst 25 in the` member 23 continues to moveuntil Y the tension .of spring 24 is sufficient to holdthe driven member 23 stationary whereby the rollers 2I are freed from the 'collar lvandheldintheir loose Vposition between Vthe collar I8 and member .23. In this marmer the motion ofshaft l2 and drum I3 is stoppedj It-will beseen that this arrangement will result in almost instantaneous discontinuing of the drive wheneverthe trip 58 releases `the pawl 2,9. .Theweighted arm 5I is fastto shaft 52 and trip 58 is loose on shaft 52 .for adjustmentthereon by adjusting screws 58a bearing against the tail of arm l5I and holding the trip securely in its A,adjusted position when theyfare tightened, whereby the Ainitial angular position of the trip 58 while holdressure on chargexarresting plate ing the pawl 29 away from the ratchet I9 may be adusted, thus regulating the distance lthrough which trip 58 must be swung to release the pawl.

In this .manner the volume' offtobacco in the chargey maybe lclosely controlled, since` the initial angular position of the trip 5B'may be adjusted within'a wide range under the protruding end 59 of the pawl. A vfurther advantage is inherent in` this arrangement, since the wearing away of the rear edge of the underV face ol' the end 59 of thevpawl will have no appreciable effectv on the distance Ythroughzwhich the trip 'swings in ,releasingthe pawl or on the volume of tobacco in the charge. In the form disclosed the length of lever 55 isfnearly equal to the.` length of arm 58, andthe distancewtraveledbvk Yield- .ing member 45 is therefore approximately rthe same as that traveledV by `the nosearm 58,111 releasing :clutch releasing pawlV 59.- This relationship offelemen-ts makes possible a. more posi- Y tive` control ofthe trip release andl substantially eliminates over or `under feed of ller .tobacco. The same cannot be said of prior constructions; inlwhich the parts 'of the tripping mechanism move through relatively short paths so that any wearingV of the same will produce a considerablevariation in the volume of tobacco inthe charge. f

Afterthe-fcutchargehas been mc fi' tra fer" angers y.scarffthe* member-jrs li 'raisedfi "belt driven bysaid drum, means for receiving a (charge of filler tobacco fromjsaid belt, aV yieldv30 ing member' dl's'posed'insaid means to be pushed k*by*theftobacco delivered to said means by said belt, and mechanism connected to said yielding y `member for incapacitating said clutch when the ,charge of tobacco in determined density, said clutch including a driven member fixed `on said .shaft and vprovided with triangular ,notches in its periphery, a'collar on s i said driving member surrounding said driven r fmemben a ratchet loosely mounted von said'shaft,

` rollers, disposed in i @said ratchet, and a tension spring `connected to said `driven member and ratchet and 'normally ygagesaid ratchet, yand M connected to said yielding member and adapted ",ratchetuntil thepressure of` thetobacco on said l*yielding member is sufficient to overcome the resistance of vsaid trip and` swing the latter away said ratchet to stop itsrotation andi thus free said ,rollers from said` collar vand stop the rotal 55ltion of said shaft. 4 -v y h2.' In an automatic filler feed forcigar ma-4 Qchines, thecombinationwithfa continuouslyv rotating'driving member, of a shaft on which said "driving l member I Qbelt driven by said drum,Vmeans` for receiving a charge of iillerr tobacco 4fromksai'd belt, a yield-r i ing member disposedin said means'to be pushed Qbythe tobaccov'delivered to` said means by .said

`said clutch, saidclutch including a driven mem- 'yberf fiXedon said shaftand provided with triangular notches in its peripheryfa collar 'onsaid xdriving member surrounding said driven` member, a ratchet loosely mounted, ron said shaft, l,

,wwf

:est mation @f th-remet iaith@ com.: patted'` and measured i fillercharge4 gis cut into-j..

d by the'y to 'tobacco Qarre'istingpositionl" At the ,y same time," the* continued rotation of collar- 'IBI carries thecam `lpiece T3| around the shaft i2 untiifsaid cam piece engages the l `roller32` of yielding :member is `said pawl from said ratchet.` e

i roller-clutch `connecting said `driving memberl andv shaft, and normally operativeto drive vsaid shaft., 'a'feedf drum fixed on saidy shaft,r a filler feeding` said means attains a' pref saidnotches and carriedby Aholding fthe ratchet in position to` cause `said rollers to jam between said collar and notches,and y ysaid mechanism including "a pawl adapted to eni a counter-,weighted trip'` j to hold said pawl outl of engagement witlisaid from said pawl,` whereby the pawl will 'engage lsloosely mounted, a friction `aller-clutch connecting said driving member and k shaft,and` normallyoperative ,to drive said shaft, y affeed Adrum fixed on said` shaft, a filler ,feeding f 'I belt, mechanism ccnnectedto said yielding memi Y i ber, fora incapacitatinglsaid clutch` when the. y chrgefof tobacco iny saidmeans attains a predetermined density, `a device for rehabilitating n said echanism roilersdisposed inlaid notches `and carried by said-eretchetfandfia tension spring connected to vsaid drlvenmeniber'andratchet and normally yholdin'gq-said Y ratchet: position roller' todam' between saidv collar'an'd'notches'.- including i a pawl adapted to` i toi-'cause said e engage said rstchetganu aicounte-wighteatnp connected' to"` said yielding member` and adapted.

tov vhold`said pawl out of engagement withf said ratchet-- until the pressure of the tobacco on "said sumcient 'to overcome-the said ratchetfto stop its rotation and th'us 'free said rollers from said'colla'r-andstop the rota` tion of said shaft and said device including a,` cam-piece on said` collar adapted to disengage` a Inanauto'mauc nner reed for marmachines, the combination witha continuously rotating driving member, of a shaft on which said ldriving memberis loosely mounted; a friction roller clutch' connecting `said driving member and shaft, and normally operative'to drive said shaft, al feed drum fixed on said shaft, a ller feeding belt driven by said drum, means for receiving ar Y charge of filler tobacco from said belt, a yielding ,y member disposed in said means to be moved by i Y tobacco delivered tosaid meansby said belt,

and vmechanism for lncapacitating saidjclutch `and stopping the movementof said beltwhen the charge of'tobacco `in said `receiving means` attains a. predetermined density, said mechanism" i including a clutch releasing device normally Y heldin'a position away from said clutch, atrip arm cooperating with ksaid device to releasably support it in said position, and a connection i I between said ryielding member and trip arm so.l`

-arranged that .when said member is displaced a predetermined distance, said device is releasedr ,forcoope'ration with said clutch to stop the -ro-A tation of said drum, and thereby prevent ther feed of additional tobacco to said ycharge receive ing means.

4.In an automatic filler feedfor cigar machines, the combination with'a continuouslyro-h tating `driving member, of ,a shaft on .which saidy driving member is looselyL mountedya. friction `roller clutch `connecting said` driving member.

and f shaft, and normally operative to drive said shaft,a` feed drunrxed on said shaft, a filler 59" feeding belt driven by said drum, means-for l receiving ay charge of filler tobacco rfrom said belt, a yielding member disposed in saidmeans to be moved by tobacco delivered to said means f by said beit, and mechanism :or mcapacnaung belt whenthe charge of tobacco in said receiv-f ing'means attains a predetermined density, said mechanism including a clutch releasing device `normally held in` `a position away from said clutch, a trip arm` cooperating with said device to releasably support it in said position, a connection between said yielding member and trip` Yarm so arranged that Whensaid lmember is rdisplaced ya predetermined distance, said device is released 'for cooperation with; said clutchto stop the rotation of said drum, andv thereby prevent vthe `feed of additional `tobacco to said charge receiving means, and adevicefor rehabilitating uponisaid driving member adapted `to lift saidv said 'clutch and stopping the movement of 4vsaid "70 said clutch, said device including a cam mounted', f

device from cooperative engagement with said f clutch-'and reestablish the feed of tobacco to the charge forming means. e

5. In o en, automatic nl ler, feed, `ici' ciar4 rnv.'- ohines, the combination with a .continuously rotating driving member, of als'haft on which said driving 'member` is loosely mounted, a iricticn roller clutch connecting said driving member and shaft, and normally operative to. drive said shaft,`

a feed drum fixed on said shaftf aviiller feeding belt driven bysaid drum, means for receiving a charge of filler tobacco from said belt,` ayielci-` ingmember disposed in said means to be moved by tobacco delivered to said means by said belt, and mechanism for incapacitatiroigv said clutch andrstopping the movement of said belt when the charge of tobacco in. said receiving means "at-l Y encima v tainsf a predetermined density, Vsaid lmechanism,

beccoV to saido'charge receiving means.`

` HENRY H. 

